IRE vs AFG Live Cricket Score

0.2 OUT! What a start for Ireland. Murtagh strikes in the very first over. Shahzad fails in his comeback game. Lands it on a fuller length on off. The ball hits the deck and nips back in slightly. Shahzad tries to flick it away but the inward movement beats the inside edge and hits his front pad. The hosts go up with a big appeal and the umpire raises his finger. Shahzad got tangled with his feet and fell over. Not what Afghanistan would have wanted. 1/1

2.1 OUT! Afghanistan are in some early trouble! Both the openers are back in the hut and Murtagh is the man who is causing the damage. That's a big wicket for the home team and Zazai who was in brilliant form in the T20Is, departs cheaply again. Tim keeps it on a fuller length around middle and leg and the ball seams in after pitching. Zazai is cramped for room and there is not much foot movement from him. He is late on it as the ball misses his bat and crashes into the stumps. The Irish players are all smiles. 6/2

4.2 OUT! That's no. 3 for Murtagh. He is on fire. Bowls this delivery on a fuller length. Naib tries to work this one across the line but the ball seams in a bit after pitching, misses his bat and raps him dead in front of the wickets. A big appeal follows and the dreaded finger of the umpire goes up. Third blow to Afghanistan. 13/3

26.3 OUT! Yes, he has! That was super sharp from Niall O'Brien, great stuff. Singh slows this one as he tosses this one just outside off. Rahmat Shah comes forward to push at it. He is playing for the spin but the ball skids through straight. Shah loses his balance just for a split second and that much is enough for O'Brien to take the bails off in a jiffy. The square leg umpire has gone up to the TV umpire. The replays show that Shah's back foot is just short of the crease. Some smart bowling and keeping. The promising 56-run stand comes to an end. Afghanistan have lost half their side now and there are still more than 23 overs to play out. 72/5

8.1 OUT! Afghanistan being generous, have gifted one to Ireland. Nothing to take away from Balbirnie though, that was a terrific effort. A short of a length ball on off is punched off the back foot towards covers by Shahidi. There is no run on offer but Hashmatullah calls for it and Shah responds. Andy in the same region charges in from his left, attacks the ball, dives and underarms a direct hit at the non-striker's end as the southpaw puts in a desperate dive. He seems to be struggling as the Irishmen are already ecstatic! It is referred to the third umpire. The replays show that Shahidi is well short of his crease. The visitors continue to slip. 16/4

34.1 OUT! The Irishmen have been electric on the field and they are getting the rewards. Tossed up ball on off, Afghan works it towards the man at 45. Zadran calls him through for a single. The skipper is not that sure but he eventually responds to his partner's call. Paul Stirling runs in, picks up the ball cleanly and hits his target at the bowler's end with needle-like precision as Asghar tries hard to make his ground. The reaction from him suggests that he is a goner as he stares at Najibullah. It is taken upstairs. Well, the replays find him well short of where he needed to be. It is also seen that Afghan was trying to avoid running on the pitch as he moved a bit wide. He was warned by Ian Gould in the previous over for doing so. It would have been playing on in his mind. That also accounted for him being slow across the deck. Another one bites the dust. 100/7

29.3 OUT! The hosts continue to make merry. Nabi fails to make his 100th ODI a memorable one, at least with the bat. Chase bangs this one on a short of a length outside off. Nabi sees the width on this one and goes for the upper cut but does not control the shot properly. The ball flies towards the third man region where Kevin O'Brien is placed a bit square. He does really well to run to his left and takes a fine tumbling catch. The experienced campaigner is on his way back. 89/6

46.3 OUT! An important wicket for the hosts in the context of the game. The dangerous southpaw could have done some damage in the end. Keeps it a bit shorter this time. Zadran goes for the pull. The ball goes in the air and it seems like it will sail over the fielder again. But Simi Singh at the deep square leg boundary, backtracks, judges it perfectly and pouches it safely. A very smart and responsible innings from Zadran comes to an end. 160/9

40.4 OUT! Back-to-back 4-wicket hauls for Tim Murtagh! He has been on song in the ODI series. A poor shot from Rashid Khan has brought about his downfall. Back of a length ball around off, Khan walks down the track and has a wild heave at it. However, he only manages a top edge that skies towards mid on. Kevin O'Brien stationed there backtracks a bit and pouches it safely. Seems like Afghanistan won't be able to survive their full quota of overs. 129/8

0.4 OUT! Perfect start for Afghanistan! A wicket in the very first over of the game, much like how the first innings went. This was expected in the second innings, Ireland will just have to deal with it. Mujeeb bowls it short and in line of the stumps from around the wicket, but the ball keeps extremely low, almost goes underground really. Nothing William Porterfield can do about it as he goes miles under his bat and crashes into the stumps. First one down for the hosts. 0/1

16.2 OUT! Yes, the milestone man has taken a step in the right direction. A very, very important breakthrough for Afghanistan! A wonderful piece of bowling from Nabi has done the trick. He floats this one around off and the ball drifts away. Stirling uses his feet and pushes at it but it goes on with the arm and beats him. Shahzad behind the stumps is lightning quick and takes the bails off in a flash. The Afghanistan players are celebrating but the umpire refers it upstairs. They are checking for the front foot no ball which is fine. After that, it is being seen whether Shahzad collected the ball in front of the stumps while affecting the stumping. Well, he seems to be fine on that count too. Stirling has to make his way back. An entertaining knock from him ends. Ireland need 114 from 202 balls. 69/2

34.5 OUT! Rashid, the dangerman strikes. Do we still have a match on our hands? Rashid keeps it full outside off, Balbirnie leans forward and goes for the big booming drive. Does not reach the pitch of the ball but still goes through with the shot. The ball lands and turns away sharply, taking the outside edge and flies to first slip, where Zadran does brilliantly to dive to his left and latch on to this sharp chance. Can Afghanistan make further inroads? 144/5

22.1 OUT! Timely wicket for the tourists. The most experienced player in the Afghanistan team is turning things around, picks up his second wicket. Nabi floats this one on a full length just around off. O'Brien makes a bit of room and drives it hard but he is unable to keep it down. Unfortunately for Niall, he picks the substitute fielder, Shafiqullah at extra cover perfectly who takes an easy catch. Will this open the floodgates for the visiting team? 87/3

24.2 OUT! Rashid Khan strikes! This was coming, you can always expect a wicket around the corner when the magician is bowling. He slips in the googly and it is pretty quick in pace as well. O'Brien camps back in order to read it off the pitch but he is late to bring his bat down. Is hit flush in front of the stumps and Rashid and Co rise up in a vociferous appeal. The umpire obliges as well. Looked pretty adjacent to the naked eye. The visitors are well and truly heading back into the contest. The hosts need 86 from 154 balls while Afghanistan need 6 wickets. 97/4

39.3 OUT! Bowled 'em! Gary Wilson must be absolutely gutted with himself. There is no demand to take such a risk when you are so close to victory. He has given Afghanistan a sniff. Coming back to the ball, Alam spots Wilson shuffling across his stumps and hence, bowls a full and fast ball on leg. Gary tries to get some bat on it but the ball sneaks through and crashes into the stumps. There certainly seems to be a twist in the tale, I can smell it. 162/6

40.2 OUT! We have a match on our hands! Suddenly the Afghanistan tent is alive. Rashid keeps it very full on the off stump. McBrine comes forward to defend. The ball pitches and turns in to beat the front foot block, or it seemed to have beaten it. The ball then hits his front pad and up go the visiting team. The umpire has no doubt as he raises his dreaded finger. But McBrine does not look happy as he is seen shaking his head vigorously while walking back. Replays show there was a faint inside edge before the ball hit the pads. Lucky break for Afghanistan. Will this help them crawl back in the match? 164/7